Delivery Date to be Scheduled for Spring 2024 in Your Area
Close up of Audubon Native Sassafras leaf in fall color, unique leaf that is orange in color, surrounded by pictures of birds
Close up of Audubon Native Sassafras leaf in fall color, unique leaf that is orange in color
Audubon Native Sassafras leaves on white, unique dark green leaves
Map of American Counties where Audubon Native Sassafras is native to
Picture of a Cedar Waxwing
Picture of a White-Eyed Vireo
Picture of an American Robin
Picture of a Northern Cardinal
Close up of Audubon Native Sassafras leaf in fall color, unique leaf that is orange in color, surrounded by pictures of birds
Close up of Audubon Native Sassafras leaf in fall color, unique leaf that is orange in color
Audubon Native Sassafras leaves on white, unique dark green leaves
Map of American Counties where Audubon Native Sassafras is native to
Picture of a Cedar Waxwing
Picture of a White-Eyed Vireo
Picture of an American Robin
Picture of a Northern Cardinal

Audubon® Native Sassafras

Bower & Branch Trees and Plants

Audubon® Plants for Birds: Sassafras albidum

Regular price
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This plant is not available at this time through Bower & Branch. We provide this plant profile for reference only.

See below for alternative selections for purchase and inspiration!

WONDERFUL FALL FOLIAGE WITH BEAUTIFULLY FRAGRANT FLOWERS

FEATURES:

May Benefit & Attract: thrushes, waxwings, wood warblers, finches, mockingbirds & thrashers, chickadees & titmice, orioles, cardinals & grosbeaks, crows & jays, sparrows, nuthatches, vireos, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and wrens

  • In the spring, pretty and aromatic flowers blossom
  • In the fall, foliage turns a vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges
  • Leaves are aromatic when bruised or cut
  • This tree is very tough, often planted in restoration sites
  • The perfect food source for deer, woodchucks, rabbits, bears, and many species of songbirds
  • This bird-friendly native plant provides food and shelter for local and migrating birds and other wildlife
  • All Audubon® branded trees and plants are grown 100% Neonic-free by Bower & Branch, making these plants safer for the birds and safer for the environment
  • The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow
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    Growth Facts

    • Hardiness Zone: 4-9
    • Mature Height: 30-60' tall
    • Mature Width: 30-40' wide
    • Exposure: Full Sun/Part Shade
    • Spacing: 30-40' apart

    Why plant Audubon® Native Sassafras?

    Everybody loves Sassafras for its festive fall foliage. This flashy native brings a punch of color to forest edges all over the eastern U.S. But bird-lovers see even more. They know that Sassafras is a welcome sight to birds, too! Mockingbirds, cedar waxwings, robins, vireos, bluebirds, cardinals, and many others flock to the dark blue berries that form on female trees. And insect-eating birds seek out the caterpillars and other six-legged creatures that feed on Sassafras leaves. Satisfy your desire for backyard beauty while supplying valuable habitat for our struggling songbirds. Delightful!

    Common throughout much of the eastern U.S., Sassafras is a beloved member of our country’s natural heritage. A friend to birds, butterflies, and people alike, it has brought shade and shelter to people and wildlife here for centuries. In 1957, a battle erupted over the world’s largest Sassafras Tree in Owensboro, Kentucky. The highway department had the big tree slated for destruction in order to widen a road, but the lady of the house on whose property the tree grew had other ideas. She emerged with a loaded shotgun, and after a long standoff, the state backed down. The venerable champ is now over 100 feet tall and has a trunk 7 feet thick.

    How to use Audubon® Native Sassafras in the landscape?

    Root beer was originally flavored with Sassafras roots, and Sassafras tea was a popular drink in pioneer days. As it turns out, Sassafras oil from the roots and bark of the tree contains saffrole, which has since been discovered to be mildly carcinogenic. However, the leaves contain very little of this substance, and today the powdered thickener knows as “filé” that goes into an authentic pot of Creole jumbo is still derived from crushed Sassafras leaves.

    Audubon® Native Plants & Trees

    Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.

    What is the definition of Native?

    “In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society

    Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

    Audubon® is a licensed and registered trademark of the National Audubon Society. All rights reserved.

    Planting Zones

    Hardiness Zone: 4-9

    How To Plant Audubon® Native Sassafras

    Sassafras is easy to grow and is a fast-growing tree in good soil. It prefers full sun and its fall color will be the best where light can reach all of the foliage. It needs well-drained soil and can tolerate dry conditions once established.

    How To Water

    Your Sassafras is going to need consistent watering when freshly planted. You should water twice a week, more if the conditions are dry. Once established, your tree can handle bouts of dry weather.

    How To Fertilize

    The best time to fertilize your Sassafras is at the beginning of spring each year, as your tree breaks dormancy! This will provide your tree with all it needs as it grows through the season.

    How To Prune

    In the wild, Sassafras is often found in hedgerows and will send up suckers, forming a thicket. This can happen in the home landscape, too, and will create a nice seasonal screen. If you’d rather keep your tree to a single trunk, simply pull or mow any suckers that appear and avoid wounding the trunk or disturbing the root zone, both of which can encourage more suckers to appear.

    How Does Shipping Work?

    Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.

    *For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.

    Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.

    Shipping Delays:

    From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.

    How Does Sizing Work?

    The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)

    Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.

    All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!

    See the size guides below.

    How Trees are Shipped
    Size 4XL D Trees Size 3XL C Trees Size 2XL B Trees Size XL A Trees Size LARGE AA Trees

    Our Guarantees

    3-YEAR-TREE GUARANTEE:

    Bower & Branch offers a Three-Year Tree Guarantee on all of our trees, sizes X-Large and up. Only the finest and the most experienced growers are awarded the opportunity to grow for Bower & Branch, so we offer the best guarantee available.

    If your tree(s) should fail for any reason during the three-year guarantee period, you will receive an online gift card in the amount that you originally spent on the tree.* You can then use this online gift card for any Bower & Branch Purchase.

    * Bower & Branch provides online gift cards in the amount of the original purchase price of the tree(s). The amount does not include any additional costs such as delivery, planting, tax, or any other products or services. Online gift cards can be applied towards any Bower & Branch purchase on BowerandBranch.com and have no expiration dates. Bower & Branch does not guarantee tree replacement or availability of any desired product at any time. Cash refunds are not offered. Bower & Branch requires that all original tags and receipts are present when a guarantee request is initiated. The Bower & Branch Three-Year Guarantee only applies to plant material that has been planted in the ground. Container plantings are NOT covered.

    At Bower & Branch, we do our best to honor all guarantee fulfillment requests to ensure customer satisfaction. However, we reserve the right to refuse the request if the required guarantee steps were not satisfied. Bower & Branch also reserves the right to deny any guarantee fulfillment request that is made as a result of animal damage, problems with plant hardiness and zone issues, or acts of nature (snow storms, hurricanes, and similar).

     

    Reach out to a Plant Whisperer with any questions:

    - Email: plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com

    - Phone: 866-873-3888

    - Or via Online Chat


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